Collapsible receptacle.



C. MARSHALL.

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17. I915.

1 ,1 85,695 1 Patented June 6, 1916.

% fiyklii/ifig'ml I CI-IAUNCEY MARSHALL, or BROOKLYN, NEW-YORK.

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed November 17, 1915. Serial No. 61,882.

To all whom z't-may concern:

Be it known that I, OHAUNOEY MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Collapsible Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to the class of receptacles and more particularly to the class of pouches for tobacco and the like.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle that will automatically close, and that is sufficiently collapsible to adapt itself to the body of the wearer, as for instance, when the receptacle is carried in the pocket of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible receptacle such as a tobacco pouch in which flexible means are provided to hold the two adjacent edges of two pieces of material such as leather and the like against one another to form a very tight closure, such as to permit the opening of the two pieces from one another when it is desired to discharge some of thecontents of the receptacle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a closure for a flexible pouch in which lips are provided at the mouth thereof which will adopt a position when folded over due to the movement of the wearers body, in which the likelihood of accidental discharge from the pouch is still further insured against.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure lisaside elevation of the collapsible pouch showing a spring tension means in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the same showing a spring tension means in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the spring tension means with the pouch in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the spring tension means detached from the pouch. Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail illustratingthe particular form for securing the ends of the tension means together. Fig. 6 is a plan perspective illustrating the shape of the mouth of the pouch when the same is open for discharging its contents.

In the embodiment shown, the pouch P is provided with end walls 2, side walls 3,

and a bottom 4:. The end walls 2 are tapering in their upward extent terminating in narrow ends 5, and have broad bases 6. The end walls, side walls, and bottom of the pouch may all be of one piece as shown, with suitable incisions made to form the adjacent edges of the end walls and side walls when the side walls and end walls are bent up from the bottom into proper position. The edges of the end walls and side walls may be secured together by stitches 7 or the like. When the edges of the end walls and side walls are so secured to one another, the resulting pouch will present a form having a lower enlarged end, and a narrow upperportion where the mouth of the pouch is disposed, the mouth being formed by the free edges of the side walls disposed between the end walls.

For normally maintaining the mouth of the pouch closed, a spring contrivance 8 is provided which comprises essentially two U- shaped members 9, the free ends 10 of which members 9 are secured to one another in any suitable manner, as by turning them about one another, as shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5, another form of securing theends of the U-shaped members 9. together. is shown, the ends being riveted together, the

ends in this form being designated as 10.

By the attachment of the ends 10, the other portions of the members 9 diverge as shown in Fig. 4:. i

When the spring contrivance 8 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is disposed in the pouch P, the enlarged lower portion of the pouch P is normally distended, the attached ends 10 of the members 9 exercising an outward spring tension to press. the adjacent free edges of the side walls 3 against one another in closed position, the outward fiexure of the U-shaped portions 9, cooperating with the outward flexure of the ends 10, to produce such result. 1

To properly anchor the spring contrivaccidental displacement therefrom, stitches 11, are provided which'may serve as the up ance 8 in the pouch and insure against its 11 serves to dispense with intricate fastening means for the spring contrivance 8; incidentally also makes possible the use of a spring contrivance in which the ends have not yet been finished and are still rough,

since such ends are entirely concealed from contact with the person or fingers of the wearer when disposed in the pockets formed by the stitches 11. These diagonal corner stitches also serve as a means for anchoring the spring distender 8 in operative position in the pouch, without the use of mechanical connecting means therebetween and permit of its ready removal at Will, by reason of the said diagonally formed corners 11 cngaging the uncut'ends 10,thereby preventing any undesired movement of the distender other than compressive movement. Furthermore, the diagonal stitched corners raise the mouth of the pouch to a somewhat higher plane than the plane in which the uncut ends 10 he thereby permitting the mouth portion 12 to be extremely flexible and sensitive to the side tension of the opposing legs 1010 of the spring distender 8, which tension causes the lips 12 to be tautly drawn, thereby causing a firm closure of the said lips, making the mouth formed thereby proof against accidental opening by any movement of the wearer.

The flexibility of the Ushaped members 9 between one another serves to permit the lower part of the back to adapt itself to the person of the wearer and thereby .prevent the formation of an objectionable and annoying obstruction in the pocket of the wearer. For opening the pouch, the end walls of the same are pressed inward, as shown in Fig. 6, preferably at the upper ends of the spring contrivance, at such pressure the lips 12 of the said walls 3 will spread from one another. 1

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a distender for the purpose described, comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped resilient spring tension members, the arms thereof be ing connected together at the top, thereby forming two oppositely arranged tension arms, the lower portion of the two U-shaped members diverging from one another so as to form a distender for distending a pouch or pocket at the bottom at a right-angle to the plane of the side members of the U, while normally keeping the same closed at the mouth or top.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having upwardly converging side walls, the mouth of the receptacle being disposed between the upper ends of said side walls, and

means for resiliently maintaining the lower portion of the side walls spread from one another, thereby forming a compressible pocket therein and for normally maintaining a tension in a lateral direction on the upper ends of the side walls.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having side walls converging toward one another in an upward direction, the upper ends of the side walls forming the mouth of the receptacle, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls forming obstructions, and tension means for normally maintaining the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another and for normally maintaining a tension in a lateral direction on the upper ends of the side walls, the upper ends of the tension means being limited in their upward extent by the obstructions of said stitches.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having side walls converging toward one another in an upward direction, the upper ends of the side walls forming the mouth of the receptacle, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls converging toward one another in their upward extent, and tension means for normally maintaining the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another and for normally maintaining a tension in a lateral direction on the upper ends of the side walls, the upper ends of the tension means being limited in their upward extent by said stitches.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having upwardly converging side walls, the mouth of the receptacle belng disposed between the upper ends of said side walls, and a spring contrivance comprising two U-shaped members diverging from one another with their free upper ends attached to one anothe'r,'the diverging portion being disposed in the lower end of the receptacle to normally maintain the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another and the upper ends being disposed in the upper end of the receptacle to maintain a tension on the side walls in a lateral direction, the two spring forces cooperating to normally close the mouth of the receptacle.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having side walls converging toward one another in an upward direction, the

upper ends of the side walls forming the mouth of the receptacle, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls forming obstructions,'and a s ring contrivance comprising two U-shaped members diverging from "one another with their free upper ends attached to one another, the diverging portions being disposed in the lower end of the receptacle to normally maintain the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another and the upper ends being disposed in the upper end of the receptacle to maintain a tension on the side walls in a lateral direction, the upper ends of the spring contrivance being limited in their upward extent by said stitches.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having side walls converging toward one another in an upward direction, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls converging toward one another in their upward extent, and a spring contrivance comprising two U-shaped members diverging from one another with their free ends attached to one another, the diverging portions being disposed in the lower end of the receptacle to normally maintain the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another, the upper ends being limited in their upward extent by said stitches and maintaining a tension on-the side walls in a lateral direction, the two spring forces cooperating to normally close the mouth of the receptacle.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a collapsible receptacle having side walls converging toward one another in an upward direction, the upper ends of the side walls forming the mouth of the receptacle, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls converging toward one another in their upward extent, and tension means for normally maintaining the lower ends of the side walls spread from one another and for normally maintaining a tension in a lateral direction on the upper ends of the side walls, the upper ends of the tension means being limited in their upward extent by said stitches, the portions of the side walls extending above the tension means being free to bend to adapt themselves to the person of the wearer and thereby further insure against accidental opening of the mouth of the receptacle.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with acollapsible receptacle having two side walls, two end walls and a bottom, the end walls tapering in their upward extent to narrow portions, the upper ends of the side walls forming the mouth of the receptacle, stitches along the sides of the upper ends of the side walls uniting them to one another and forming obstructions, and tension means for normally maintaining the lower ends of the side wallsspread from one another and for normally maintaining a tension in a lateral direction on the upper ends of the side walls, the upper ends of the tension means being limited in their upward extent by the obstructions of said stitches.

CHAUNCEY MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

GUSTAV DREWS, H. D. PENNEY.

copies of this patent may be obtained ior five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

